ABU DHABI Ñ Saudi Arabia plans to establish two major energy
facilities amid the Al Qaida threat to the kingdom.
Saudi officials said the kingdom will construct two petrochemical
facilities in Jubail by 2007 in cooperation with Germany and Japan.
They said Jubail United Petrochemical Co., a subsidiary of the Saudi
Basic Industries Corp., and Germany's Linde will construct a $200 million
linear alpha olefins plant by late 2006.
The second project called for the construction of an integrated styrene
facility in Jubail that would include Japan's JGC Corp. and operated by
Jubail Chevron Phillips. The facility, set for completion in 2007, would
produce
polymers for a range of products including electronic parts, tires and
construction materials.
Officials said Jubail and Yanbu, where SABIC operates its largest
petrochemical projects, have been under a state of alert for Al Qaida
attacks. Al Qaida attacked the Yanbu facility in May 2004.
